Ben Hart
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[quote=”99HMC4″ post=25904]True but I HATE seeing a flake here and there in my black paint jobs….
:exci[/quote]Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue like that. My guns tend to stay spotlessly clean, especially on the inside.
I occasionally use one of my Teknas for blowing in clear on odd jobs…then it goes back to being used for water base. I just take it apart and clean it good, making sure it is completely free of water/solvent between things.
When I was apprenticing I used a GTi for sealer, base and clear. Never had an issue.
the paint stripper followed by a good cleaning with gun wash will probably do it. But soaking it like that may destroy the seals. Guns aren’t really meant to be soaked for long periods of time.
What type of base are you trying to get out of it? Water/Solvent? Was it activated?
A little more info may help determine the issue(s)
What brand/line of paint are you using? What type of spray gun (and which fluid tip & aircap)? What reducer are you using with the base, and at what ratio? Are you getting Tiger stripes or mottle? All metallic colours, or just some? How wet are you applying the base and how much flash time between coats?
Any 1 or combination of the above can cause your problem along with improper gun setup, user error etc.
We had Fix come into us and try to get us (a GM dealer) in with them. Don’t see how a GM franchise can become a FIX franchise at the same time…
Anyway, the understanding I was getting was that for the shops in Ontario (like jimmo) it has been a great success. Out west here seems to be a different story. I think the lack of brand awareness out here has been really poor (although it is getting better), the cost vs. profit aspect seemed to be lacking as well. I know in the Calgary area there have been 3 shops that have ditched the Fix franchise in the last couple years, but one large one recently got on with Fix.
Maybe as brand awareness increases and more open (out this way) things will only get better for them.
Like most shops we blend adjacent panels (except bumpers of course). Typical exceptions would be some blacks, some fleet work or colours I have sprayed numerous times and am willing to butt such as: GMs white (WA 8624) I will sometimes butt as I have a ton of sprayouts and have many variants that I have tinted, WA8555 (black) I will always butt, Ford UA, sometimes Honda’s B92-P etc.
To make it a little more clear I would say that about 95% of jobs are blended (excluding bumper jobs)
Just one more note, it is usually quicker and easier to blend the adjacent panel then to try and tint the colour and wind up possibly re-doing it later.
Welcome to the site!
I’ve been using these programs for a long while.
Generally what we do is write the estimate as per the insurance company (some will go with OEM, some aftermarket). If they are aftermarket we see if they can be matched and go that way. As a technician it is the best scenario, working mostly with OEM parts everyday.
If I were a shop owner, however, I would reconsider matching. As an owner I would be making a lot more on mark up (say 40%) on the aftermarket vs. minimal markup on matched OEM parts. Only time I would match them is when availability is an issue, or it is a part that I know aftermarket is no good.
Just my thoughts though…
You just try extra hard to keep it clean.
There are a ton of shops here with them on the roof (ours included). Really not many issues at all. I would hope that there is easy access to the roof (just in case). Only common issue up here is having the units freeze up. This usually only happens when the weather is humid/wet then freezes, particularly if the booth isn’t used for a few days (like over a weekend).
We get the occasional problem. I usually just go over the panel really good right before I clear it, tacking or denibbing the base if necessary. Then I know I am not clearing over anything like that.
I would think a few pieces of crap would be a good thing. Last 2 white F-150s I had in the shop both had large chunks of crap in the factory paint. So if you’re getting them, then you are matching the factory job well…lol
Spray can paint can be quite different from Automotive paint. I wouldn’t expect to get the same results from a spray can, or have it last.
You may be best off looking for a shop to do it for you. Any spray can paint is going to deteriorate pretty quick, especially a black roof under that hot Florida sun…
It really depends on your paint, everyone will react a little different. But since the midcoat is so transparent and usually has a small amount of pearl, it can be easy to control in that sense.
If you are doing a test with it, try 1 half with and 1 half without the drop coat and see if it makes a difference for you.
The good news is you aren’t blending, so that is one less thing to worry about!
The key with them is consistency. I usually paint tri-stage parts on the vehicle, just to be safe. If you are real careful and very comfortable with your product you may be ok to paint them off, but it is a bit of a gamble.
I would definitely test the colour first and get use to it. Figure out how many ground and how many mid coats you want to apply. Usually with the midcoat I will walk to side to prevent any overlaps and be as careful as possible to get each coat on uniform.
[quote=”Jozi” post=25698]Thanks for the responses lads, much appreciated.
I kind of thought maybe the extra clear was to get a good cut after painting. I could probably do the polishing myself with the DA, although I’ve never really used it properly except to bring some shine back on dull paint and on some test panels I painted after wetsanding them flat (cause I got such a good finish :lol1 ).
Is it worth asking the bodyshop to spray more clear or to do a flow coat after? Or leave it up to him but made sure he knows I want a really good finish?! She’s not a 100k car but I do want it to looks perfect.
Any pointers what to look for when looking at someones work?[/quote]
I think the best thing is to find that really good shop, be willing to pay $$$ and let the shop decide what they think is best.
Going in and telling them how to paint is only going to piss them off. If they are a good shop, they will know what technique works best for them.
As far as finding a good shop, ask around, when you get to the shop ask to see their work. If they do a lot of high end resto stuff, they may be able to show you past jobs.
If you don’t mind be asking, what are you looking to pay (for the paint portion)? Are you having the shop do it all (any body work, prep, paint, detail)?